Jade & Steel: Role-Playing In Mythic China (d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying)

50 Pages·2001·22.16 MB·English

by  Jim Lai

Avalanche Press Ltd.
a e n t e e
Roleplaying 'n China
M tbic
"020 System" and the"020 System" logo areTrademarks owned byWizards ofthe Coast and are used according to the terms ofthe 020
System Licenseversion 1.0.Acopy of this Licensecan be found at www.wizards.corn.
The Open GameContent in thisbook includes game rules.character and creaturestatistics. and similar materialusing the0 20 system.This
content is denoted byits placement in ~-=-
I~I
bordered-stylesidebars and by text highlighted in bolditalictypewithin the main bodyof the text. In addition.all ofParr Two is considered
Open game content. The remaining material. including that in
bordered-stylesidebars and thepresentationof thisbook asacomplete workisdesignated Product Identity.With the exception ofthe Open
Game Content. reproduction of this work without the written permission of the Copyright Holder is a violation of copyright law and is
expresslyforbidden.
This is awork of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead less than 1.500 years is purelycoincidental.
Avalanche Press Ltd.
p.o.Box 4775,Virginia Beach,VA 23454 USA
1-800-564-9008 • www.AvalanchePress.com
Copyright © 2001Avalanche PressLTD. Allrightsreserved.
ISBN 0-97°7961-3-7
Printed inthe UnitedStates oj America. FirstPrinting, 200I.
Table
onten
0
Introduction
Part I: Life and Times in Part 2: Characters Part 3: For Love
the Three Kingdoms or Money
Race
Mythic History Act 1: Pai-San
Prestige Classes
An Empire in Strife Act 2: On the Road
Alchemist
An Empire Divided Act 3:A Forest Encounter
Dim Mak Practitioner
Magic Act 4: Battle for Pai-San
Diviner
The Five Elements
Geometer
Feng Shui
Iron Hand Disciple
I Ching
Sword Saint
Philosophy and Religion
New Feats
Animism
Chinese Weapons
Buddhism
Fireworks
Confucianism
Legalism
Taoism
Crime and Punishment
period all allow players and GMs to recreate the exciting
world ofthe Three Kingdoms Period. The adventure
that appears in Part 3 is designed with I Ith to 14th
Level characters in mind and is typical of the fare
common to the genre.
Chapter I presents an overview of China's mythic
past and the events that shape the world as it was in
2loAD. Chapter 2 provides a briefdiscussion ofheroic
characters in Mythic China, including ways to customize
d20 characters for a Chinese setting. Chapter 3 offers
an adventure set against a backdrop ofbetrayal, bloodshed,
grandeur, and greed.
JADE AND STEEL is set after the collapse ofthe Han
Dynasty's 300-year rule. Under the Han, the Empire,
seeking wealth, established the first Silk Road, and goods
began to travel from oasis to oasis between China and
the West. In 97 AD, the Emperor dispatched an army to
conquer the far-off kingdom of Rome. When the army
stood only a few days from Rome's eastern frontier in
Asia Minor, the Emperor's general called offthe invasion
to protect the Empire from barbarians that were closer to
home. I 13 years later, the Empire is only a memory, and
China is a land ruled by warlords, intrigues, and heroes.
Players and game masters alike will find that China's
Introduction unique culture and history make it much more
rewarding to create new Chinese characters with
Welcome to China. The Empire ofthe Dragon sits at
character backgrounds more appropriate to the magical
the center ofthe universe, the lone bastion ofcivilization
world ofthe Three Kingdoms. The adventures are
amidst a vast sea ofbarbarism and savagery. The rise
designed for characters who have been around long
and fall of its fortunes has defined the course of
enough to become famous adventurers and well known
Eastern History, and its rich, vibrant culture set the
heroes throughout the land and is set up with the view
standard against which all the nations of the Orient
point ofthe ancient Chinese in mind. Thus, native
have been judged.
characters are far more fun than Western imports.
At the beginning ofthe Third Century, the Empire has
Characters can gain wealth and fame through dealing
fractured into three separate warring states. This is a
with ambitious warlords and cunning agents, or by
land ofadventure. Magic is very real. Wizards pursue
securing victory on the battlefield. Wealthy nobles, or
the secrets ofarcane power and eternal life while priests
shih, trade in daughters and dowries, moving vast riches
call upon a multitude ofspirits, gods, and dragons to
between powerful families. All the while, princes pre
bring rain and torment their enemies with curses and
pare for war, and gold is often as strong as steel. This
monsters. Bold warriors wander the land, looking for a
is the exciting land ofancient China. Prepare your kung
chance to test their skills in battle, and crafty rogues
fu, focus your Ch'i, and get ready for adventure!
rule the shadowy corridors ofpower where lives are just
pieces on a game board.
Using this Product
JADE A DSTEEL is a campaign setting for the d20 System
set in the mythic past ofancient China. Information on
Chinese culture and history, prestige classes tailored to
Chinese legends, and feats and weapon stars for the
4
Part Life and Times
1:
in the Three Kingdoms
Food
Mythic History
Chinese History is divided into periods known as China's diet evolveddramaticallyasits borders
absorbed newpeoples,Originally,the Chinese
dynasties. JADEAND STEEL is set during what is known
ate milletcakesandalsogrewwheatandbarley.
as the Three Kingdoms Period, a time during which
Meat was expensive. so people used fruit,
China was divided into three warring states following
beans. tubers, onions. dumplings. and spices
the collapse of the Later Han Dynasty towards the end like ginger and basil to flavor their meals.
ofthe Second Century. Many myths and legends surround Occasionally. they had beef, while the rich
this time. and it is the mythic history ofthe Three could afford luxuries like pork or chicken.
Kingdoms that lays the foundation for this setting. Asthe Chinese movedsouth,they discovered
What follows here is an overview ofthe events leading seafood and. most importantly. rice. Bythe
up to the establishment ofthe Three Kingdoms and a time ofthe Three Kingdoms, ricedominated
both their cuisine and their thought. "To cat
guide to Chinese Culture during this period.
rice" is a common Chinese description for
having supper, the main meal ofthe day.
An Empire in Strife
Tea. another Chinese favorite. did not exist
Around 150 AD, cults and secret societies spread during the Three Kingdoms Period. It would
throughout the failing Empire. These groups, often led not appear in China for another 400 years.
Beforetea,however, theydidhavealcohol.They
by Taoist magicians, established communes to protect
distilled rice into beer and wines,and. as the
their members from the hard times that bore down upon
Middle Kingdom grew wealthier, the gentry
the land. In the capital, palace eunuchs continued their
learned to enjoy grape wine and coconut
age-old power plays and political maneuvers, effectively liquors.Southern travelers always drankheavily,
ruling the Empire by themselves. Rich merchants believing that alcohol warded offmalaria.
bought out bankrupt farmers and then treated their
tenants as serfs. employing gangs ofthugs to enforce
their order. Common folk flocked to these wandering
priests and wizards, hoping for aid from Heaven.
These cults often established communes where their
ofShu. Chang Fei and Kuan Yu went with him to serve
members shared property. Priests cured the sick with
in his court. With the legendary warriors gone, other
miracles and heard confessions ofcriminals. Some. on
rival generals marshaled their forces and Sun Chuan set
the other hand, simply took what they wanted to build
up the coastal Kingdom ofWu.
their homes. By the 180's, these uprisings had become
such a problem that the eunuchs in the capital were The Three Kingdoms Era marks another long period of
forced to take action against them. division in China. In 208, Tsao Tsao tried to reconquer
the Three Kingdoms. He lost, and retreated to his own
The eunuchs sought out General Tung Cho to suppress
capitol to found the Kingdom ofWei.
the revolt. Instead, however, he seized the capital and
restored the Imperial Family to the throne. When rival
generals rose to challenge his control ofthe Empire, An Empire Divided
Tung Cho kidnapped the Emperor and fled west. For
Now. in 210 AD, China is an empire in name only. The
several years, rival factions fought for control, winning
center of the universe is divided into three rival states.
and losing the Emperor until 190. when General Tsao
Wei. with its capital ofLoyang, is ruled by Tsao Tsao
Tsao finally managed to come out on top.
and the puppet Emperor. Rival warlord Sun Chuan
Tsao Tsao had the services ofthree great heroes: Liu rules Wu out ofthe coastal city of anking, and the
Pei, Chang Fei, and Kuan Yu. They helped him suppress hero-princes Liu Pei, Chang Fei, and Kuan Yu watch
the cults during the 180's, but, rather than see China's over Shu from their capital at Chengtu.
rulers return to their self-destructive political intrigues,
Wei, with its active economy and fertile farmland, is the
Liu Pei seized his own lands and founded the Kingdom
richest ofthe Three Kingdoms. Despite their political
5
rivalry, Shu maintains ties with the Tibetan tribes to
bolster its military strength. Wu, on the other hand,
with its large barbarian population, has neither the
Clothing wealth ofWei nor the strength ofShu. Its diplomats
travel constantly between the other two kingdoms in an
The Chinese believed strongly in the phrase,
effort to prevent an invasion. Wu also trades with India
"the clothes make the man." The civilized
by sea, a fact that will eventually cause it to become the
dress of the Middle Kingdom set it apart
center ofChinese Buddhism.
from the barbarians. The basic outfit for all
Chinese, from the lowest urchin to the
wealthiest Shih, consisted of a tunic belted
MagiC
with asash, loose pants, and apadded jacket
fastened by buttons made of knotted cord. To the people ofthe Three Kingdoms, magic (Ch'ishu)
Women added dresses and aprons. Round, is very real, and rules many aspects oflife. Every person's
wovenstraw hats offered protection from the
soul is divided into a good Hun and an evil P'0, which
I sun and rain.
necromancers can bind to corpses to create the undead.
The length of the sleeves and the tunic The services ofdiviners and geomancers are highly prized,
depended on the nature ofthe wearer's work.
and every Emperor seeks out alchemists to unlock the
I
Peasants, soldiers, and martial artists favored
secrets ofthe fabled Elixir of Life. Chinese legends are
short or no sleevesand loose garments that
full ofwise and terrible dragons, beautiful ki-rin (unicorns),
allowed for maximum freedom ofmovement.
I Many commoners and soldiers also adopted sorcerers, magic potions, spirits, monsters, demons, and
from the horse barbarians acustomofwearing great warriors whose control oftheir Ch'i (life force)
leather pants and sturdy boots, which made allows them to perform superhuman feats in battle. The
fighting, riding, and farming much easier.By
I cosmic forces ofYin and Yang shape and balance all
contrast, an Imperial Minister's formal
life, and the understanding ofthese interactions grants
robes might trail several feet behind him.
enlightenment and power. The YinIYang symbol repre
I Commoners made clothes out of hemp or sents the Chinese view that both must exist in equal
nettle-fibers whilethe rich indulged mainly in
proportion, and that each contains a small part of the
silk.The poorestChinese woreuncomfortable
other. The balance ofYin and Yang affects the living by
straw sandals or simply went barefoot.
controlling the flow ofCh'i in all things.
m
Clothor leather boots werethe most common
Most wizards learn spells from elder family members or
footwear, but the wealthy and their servants
as apprentices. Magicians constantly seek out students
enjoyed brocade slippers. The well-to-do
I 'iig3
decorated their clothes with embroidery. as trained assistants, companions for mystic quests, or
1!it11
Magistrates and other bureaucrats wore ritual "volunteers" to test prototype Elixirs ofLife. This last
Il!!l ;,',:::::::::::::
capes as part of their offices, and special l:=J duty can often be very dangerous since most Elixirs
~::: g::::,o~::::,~~:"
contain poisonous ingredients such as mercury.
i@l
~~ To the people ofthe Three Kingdoms, magic is as real
Kingdoms. Commoners usually woreblackor
as the ground beneath their feet. It is simply a fact of
rr=;'I earth tones. Purples, greens, and blues were ~
life. Neither inherently "good" nor "evil," magic is
" reserved for officials, and only the Emperor
~ ~ simply another tool. Clearly a potent one, but a tool
and his personal staff wore yellow. White l[§j
16 wasfor mourning,red for weddings. Women nonetheless. Magic convinces dragons to bring more
made heavyuse ofmakeup, and the idle rich rain to help failing crops. It enhances the Ch'i flow in
of both sexes sported long fingernails to ~ an area to bring good fortune on those who live there.
[§ill
show that they wereabove menial labor. ~I It allows mortals to divine the future. It banishes evil
creatures and vengeful ghosts, sending them to their
~~~~~-~~ proper place in Heaven. Perhaps the ultimate goal ofall
Chinese magic, however, is eternal life.
Unlike their Western counterparts, Chinese alchemists
strive to discover the Elixir of Life, a magical concoction
that allows the person who drinks it to live forever.
Rulers surround themselves with powerful magicians
6
and often drive them to pursue the heights ofthe Feng Shui
magical arts in the hope ofunlocking the secret of
Literally translated as "Wind and Water," Feng Shui is
immortality. A spellcaster who manages to raise a person
the Chinese art ofunderstanding the balance ofYin
from the dead or restore youth and vitality to aging
and Yang in the landscape. Practitioners of Feng Shui,
flesh is likely to be showered with riches and prestige.
sometimes known as Hsien Shang or geometers, can
Even so, Mythic China remains a land full of powerful
divine the balance ofYin and Yang in an area and help
and mysterious beings that are privy to secrets that
to arrange things to optimize the flow ofCh'i. The
mortal wizards can rarely begin to comprehend. A wise
Chinese believe that because the landscape is created by
magician treads carefully, for the spirits can be the
the action ofwind and water (i.e., erosion), Feng Shui
greatest teachers, or the deadliest enemies.
experts can understand the beneficial and negative
forces that lie hidden within an area. By consulting with
TheFive Elements
builders, Feng Shui experts help to ensure that both the
The Chinese believe in five elements: Earth (balance), construction process and the building itselfwill remain
Fire (greater Yang), Metal (lesser Yin),Water (greater auspicious for years to come. Feng Shui is usually
Yin), and Wood (lesser Yang). Each element signifies a viewed as a way to live in harmony with the natural
different degree ofYin (cool, luminous, feminine) or world rather than attempting to master it. In Mythic
Yang (warm, energetic, masculine).The Chinese base China, where magical forces and spirits can be understood
their entire understanding ofmagic on the balance of and controlled, geometers can not only understand the
Yin and Yang and the cyclical influence of the five flow ofCh'i in an area, they can also manipulate it to
elements on aspects ofreality. aid those who heed their advice. By understanding the
nature ofYin and Yang in an area, the mythic geometer
Each element's influence is inevitably overcome by that
can positively align the fortune ofan area with the Tao
ofanother. In time, the new dominant element is replaced
- the way ofharmony with the universe.
by a third, and so forth until the cycle is renewed.
Additionally, each element's influence is controlled and
I Ching
restrained by two others. The cycle ofebb and flow
repeats endlessly and ultimately results in a perfect The I Ching (Book ofChanges) describes the Chinese
balance ofYin and Yang in all things. The cycle turns art ofdivination. Soothsayers in the Three Kingdoms
in the following order:
use it to advise their noble patrons by predicting the
1. VVood supplants Earth.Metal controls Wood and Fire consequences oftheir intended actions. 64 hexagrams
limits its influence. form the basis ofthe Changes. Each hexagram is a symbol
composed ofsix lines divided into an upper group of
2. MetalsupplantsWood. Fire controls Metal and Water
three lines and a lower group ofthree lines (the upper
limits its influence.
and lower trigrams). Skilled diviners consult the I Ching
3.Fire supplants Metal. Water controls Fire and Earth limits
by throwing six sticks. Each stick has a broken line on
its influence.
one side and a solid line on the other. The combined
4. Water supplants Fire. Earth controls Water and Wood layout forms the hexagram.
limits its influence.
Readings can become very complex. A detailed analysis
5. Earth supplants Water. Wood controls Earth and Metal ofthe I Ching would fill an entire book many times the
limits its influence. size ofJADEAND STEEL. For game purposes, successful
Each dominant element is controlled by the one that readings may be used to gain insight about the possible
later replaces it and limited by the element that controls outcomes ofthe event in question. I Ching readings can
its successor. Chinese magicians, especially diviners, take be very detailed, but the results are almost always cryptic.
advantage ofthe cycle to aid their magic, but ultimately, Attempts to decipher the language can themselves be
all Chinese recognize that the cycle maintains the the source ofadventures. For more information on
important balance between Yin and Yang and that all game effects see the Diviner character class in Part I.
are subject to its influence. The Chinese believe that
those who live according to the cycle will have good
luck and that trying to resist its influence can bring
dire consequences.
7
Philosophy and Religion drought, and brings victory and defeat. Other powers
represent the Five Elements and the many forces of
The people ofthe Three Kingdoms recognize over
nature. All these gods serve Ti in some respect, and he
30,000 gods. Most believe in all ofthem. Additionally,
often relies upon them to carry out his wishes or those
many Chinese have great respect for the philosophies of
ofmortals who pray to him.
Buddhism, Confucianism, Legalism, and Taoism. These
Animists also worship the spirits oftheir ancestors.
different schools ofthought, while often opposing each
They believe that the spirits ofthe dead may literally
other, generally coexist peacefully and can even be
transcend to divinity. Many Animistsfollow theDruid and
complementary. For example, Animist priests claim that
Rangerclasses.Becausetherearesomany Animistgods,
Lao Tzu, the founder ofTaoism, was the mortal
immortal ancestors, and divine spirits,pagan
manifestation ofthe elemental forces of
Clerics canchoosefrom theAir, Animal,
Earth. In many legends, the gods often
Destruction,Earth,Evil, Fire, Good,
turn to Buddha for advice. Taoists
Plant, Sun, and WaterDomains.
believe that gods were the spirits
ofhumans who had discovered
unity with the Tao and Buddhism
become immortal.
Legends say that a Han
Confucius and other
Emperor learned about
philosophers rarely
Buddha in a dream. He
spoke ofthe supernatural,
dispatched explorers to
preferring to restrict
the corners ofthe world
their teachings to mortal
to find the word of
affairs. The Chinese can
Siddartha Gautama, the
easily take their pick of
founder ofBuddhism.
beliefsystems, all free of
Leaving the Middle
hypocrisy. Ideological
Kingdom, the explorers
differences are things for
eventually made their way
scholars to debate and not
to India, where they learned
reasons to fight wars. This is
that although Gautama had died
not to say that religious persecution
centuries ago, his teachings still
does not occur, only that it generally has
flourished. They returned to China
very pragmatic goals. For example, rulers
with Buddhist missionaries and began to establish
might close down Buddhist monasteries in times of
its teachings.
famine in order to conscript the monks into the work
The Kingdom ofWu trades the most heavily with India,
force or disband religious societies in order to ferret
and as such it remains the strongest bastion ofBuddhism
out cells ofrevolutionaries hiding among them.
in the Three Kingdoms. In later centuries, a Buddhist
monk named Bodhidharma would bring the teachings of
Animism
Zen Buddhism to a mountain monastery called Shaolin.
China's ancient form ofpaganism involves pleasing and
Chinese Buddhism follows the same principles as
otherwise manipulating the spirits ofnature in order
Indian Buddhism. Byfreeing the soul from the sins of
to work divine magic. Mortal wu (shamans) carry
ignorance, greed, and passion, a mortal may escape the
wishes to the gods and return bearing miracles and the cycle ofreincarnation that ties the soul to the material
commands ofHeaven. Bythe time ofthe Three Kingdoms,
world. Only by escaping the delusion of strong
Animism has lost much ofits influence. Taoist and
emotions (anger, happiness, hate, and sorrow) can a
Buddhist priests have largely supplanted the wu, but
mortal escape the cycle oflife, death, and rebirth and
the common folk do not forget the spirits as easily as
attain the blessed state of Nirvana. Inkeeping with
kings might. The wu still preserve their magical lore,
their questfor enlightenment and escapefrom the cycleof
and many rural Chinese continue to revere them.
reincarnation, Buddhist Clericsmay choosefrom theDeath,
The chiefgod ofChinese paganism is Ti, the Emperor Knowledge, Law, Strength, and TrickeryDomains.
of Heaven. He creates and destroys life, causes rain and
8
Confucianism Taoism is difficult to understand because its practitioners
often refuse to explain it. Taoists believe that people
Many learned Chinese follow the teachings ofKung Fu
must leave society behind and return to the natural world,
Tzu (Confucius). This legendary philosopher was most
though this is only a small fragment oftheir views.
likely born around 550 BC and went to school to study
They believe that all ofexistence is part ofthe Tao, or
for the civil service. Followers ofhis teachings believe
the Way.The Tao is everywhere, and its subtle influence
that his honesty and unwillingness to flatter corrupt
guides all things, no matter how great or small.
officials prevented him from excelling in the Imperial
Bureaucracy. Confucius developed his teachings in order Taoists introduced the concept ofYin and Yang to
to help preserve the state and protect its institutions Chinese Thought. Yin represents darkness and negative
from decadence and decay. energy, while Yang represents light and positive energy.
They are opposites but inextricably linked. The classic
Confucian Thought teaches the virtues ofrespect for
YinIYang symbol shows this viewpoint elegantly. Yin
elders and duty to the state, which makes it very popular
and Yang exist in equal proportion, and each contains a
with the ruling classes. Confucius believed that humanity
bit ofthe other.
was most virtuous when it showed the proper respect
toward authority. Children should revere their elders just Yin and Yang energies are part ofevery living being,
as adults should show deference to the state. Likewise, and everything must strive towards balance. Taoists view
those in positions ofauthority should promote virtue good and bad events as simply part of
the cosmic equilib
by earning the esteem ofthose beneath them through
rium ofall
example, not force.
things.
Legalism
Founded by Shang Yang, a philosopher from the 4th
Century BC, Legalism teaches that mercy encourages
vice and a gentle ruler breeds sloth, crime, and cowardice.
To combat these evils, rulers must be iron-fisted, laws
must be unyielding, and punishments for all transgressions
must be swift and merciless. Legalists encourage rulers to
unify language and measurement so that there can be
consistent enforcement ofstandards, and some even
advocate deliberate creation offood shortages to keep the
common folk more concerned about hunger than politics.
The keystone ofLegalist thought, however,involves reading
and writing. All rulers should write down their decrees,
and everyone should be able to read them. Then subjects
would no longer have to think for themselves. They would
know and understand that there are but two options:
total obedience or agonizing death.
Taoism
Some tales claim that
Lao Tzu, the founder
ofTaoism, was a contem
porary of Confucius. His
teachings have a profound
influence on many aspects of
Chinese thought and action,
including many ofthe central
philosophies of the martial arts.
9